The present invention relates generally to devices which facilitate bedside infection control in hospitals or any type of medical facility by temporarily safeguarding used hypodermic needles immediately after use, until they can be properly disposed of, and, more particularly, to a one-handed recapping device and like devices for safely enabling reinsertion of a used needle into its original packing sheath.
With the widespread use of disposable medical implements, particularly hypodermic needles, a definite need has developed for ways to safely and conveniently handle and transport such implements after use, so that disposal can be effected without risk of exposing any person handling the used implements to injury, infection or disease by puncture or contact with a used needle or syringe. The tragic outbreak of the highly contagious AIDS disease has dramatically heightened the need for safer handling, storage and disposal of such implements.
In today's medical facilities, a wide variety of disposable needle and syringe devices are routinely used to administer medication by injection and intravenous ("I.V.") procedures, and for intravenous blood collection. Once an injection is given, a blood sample drawn, or an I.V. needle removed from a patient, both the needle and/or syringe used in the procedure may be contaminated and must be disposed of in a safe manner. The problem is particularly heightened because competent medical personnel will not leave a patient unattended immediately after administering an I.V. procedure in order to search out disposal facilities for the used hypodermic needle. Consequently, while the nurse or physician is attending to the patient, unsheathed contaminated needles have been momentarily placed on bedside tables, the used needles have been placed on the patient's bedding, and bed mattresses have even been used as a type of "pincushion" to temporarily hold the contaminated needle.
Once it had been common practice to break or cut the needle after use and before transport to ultimate disposal so as to eliminate the sharp end point, thereby reducing the risk of puncture, scratching or other injury which might result from handling. However, the very act of breaking or cutting the needles gives rise to a substantial danger that accidental puncture might occur during the breaking or cutting operations, thus exposing the holder to possible injury and, further, to possible infection or disease as a result of such puncture. In addition, residual medication or blood in the needle or the syringe can splatter onto the person or his clothes, and, potentially harmful fumes from the residual medication could be inhaled as a result of the so-called aerosol effect. Furthermore, the blades of the cutting tool are now recognized as a breeding ground for germs, bacteria and other disease-causing micro-organisms to which an unsuspecting person cutting the needle could be unnecessarily exposed.
Recently, an even greater danger has been recognized in connection with the handling and disposal of used needles as well as other sharp medical implements. It is now recognized that certain diseases, most notably Hepatitis B, can be transmitted by covert percutaneous--i.e., by merely contacting the contaminated needle or implement.
While the used needle portion of a hypodermic needle/syringe combination presents the most significant risk of injury or infection through accidental puncture or scratching of a person's skin, the used syringe part may also present a risk of infection. For example, a used syringe can contain residual blood or medication which, if exposed to a person's skin, may be absorbed topically (particularly if a cut or break in the skin is present) and may cause a serious internal infection or other reaction.
As a result of the foregoing dangers, it is preferred current practice to dispose of such devices intact, without dismantling them. One contemplated solution lies in disposing of the whole, used hypodermic needle/syringe by recapping it before disposal with its original, protective sheath. The contaminated needle point and shaft would thus be isolated against inadvertent contact or puncture until it could be deposited in a disposal unit. Previously, the recapping solution was discouraged because of the inherent risk of accidental puncture if the person was unsuccessful in re-inserting the needle into the sheath. Very recently, however, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration ("OSHA") OSHA has stated that needle recapping is permissible so long as some type of recapping device is utilized to aid in the recapping procedure.
One proposal for a recapping device requires the device to be held in one hand (with the sheath held in the device) while the needle is held in the other hand for insertion into the sheath. While such a device may be effective in reducing the risk of accidental needle sticks, it suffers a significant drawback because it requires two hands to use. Once a user picks up the handle portion with one hand, the handle is unsterile by any contaminant on the user's hand. When someone else picks up the device, his/her hand is immediately contaminated by any residue from the previous user's hand.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved device to aid in recapping a used needle. It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a new and improved recapping device which permits one-handed recapping for safely recapping a hypodermic needle immediately after use.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a one-handed recapping device for conveniently and safely recapping a hypodermic needle immediately after use in its original sheath prior to the needle's ultimate disposal without exposing the person handling the device to the risk of injury, infection or disease by puncture of contact with the used needle or syringe.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a conveniently sized and easily transportable one-handed needle recapping device for conveniently and safely recapping, at the point of use, a used needle/syringe assembly prior to ultimate disposal.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a one-hand operable needle recapping device for safely recapping used hypodermic needles, in their original sheaths, at the point of use, that may also be used with external holders or other receptacles conveniently placed for ensuring ready access to the device.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a needle recapping device for hypodermic syringes that is free standing and self supporting so as to enable medical personnel to recap used hypodermic needles with the use of only one hand.
The foregoing specific objects and advantages of the invention are illustrative of those which can be achieved by the present invention and are not intended to be exhaustive or limiting of the possible advantages which can be realized. Thus, these and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description herein or can be learned from practicing the invention, both as embodied herein or as modified in view of any variations which may be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the present invention resides in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.